Dipping into The Lucky Well

Chad Rosenthal, last seen as a contestant on Next Food Network Star, returns to the restaurant biz Monday, Sept. 23 with The Lucky Well, a family-friendly American/BBQ bar/restaurant at 111 E. Butler Ave. (215-646-4242), along downtown Ambler's restaurant row.

Rosenthal, who grew up in the Ambler area and briefly ran a branch of his former Rosey's BBQ eateries in town, blew out the former Shanachie across from the Ambler Theater with a spacious, subway-tiled bar and attached lounge, with a casual dining room and adjacent private dining room. Wooden floors and tables, rock-and-rock soundtrack.

Rosenthal has put much stock in the food, bringing in chef Scott Morozin, a Culinary Institute of America grad, to man the Southern Pride smoker. They're doing the favorites while paying attention to the sourcing (Creekstone Farms for the beef ribs and beef brisket), Berkshire for the pork shoulder, Lancaster County for chicken). Beef ribs are $13 for a half-rack, $26 for a full, while the pork ribs are $12 and $24.

They're also offering a few out-of-the-ordinary entrees, such as chicken and waffles ($20), "SBG" (grilled shrimp, house-cured pork belly, cheddar grits and beer-braised collard greens ($23), a roasted ribeye, and an old-fashioned, enormous Southern smoked clambake ($31) with clams, shrimp, mussels, crawfish, sausage, potatoes, leeks and bok choy.

Their burger is a custom blend from Pat La Frieda: 40 percent brisket, 40 percent short rib, and 20 percent dry-aged fat ($14), topped with sweet bourbon grilled onions, Bibb lettuce and cheddar, with fries.

Fifteen beers are on tap, including one custom brew from the nearby Forest & Main brewpub.

Initial hours are 4:30 p.m. till late.